The Diesel is back baby. After what might be described as a forced hiatus, Vin Diesel is back and bigger than ever thanks to the critical and commercial success of Fast Five. It seems that Diesel will use this reclaimed fame, fortune and Fast and Furious clout to go, uh, a little smaller. Well, technically only the screen is smaller as the action star and his One Race Films production company are taking their first step into the world of television production, starting with the potential new series Raising Blind.

Set in the world of underground gambling, Diesel is one of a few producers shepherding this pilot to series. Deadline first reported that FX, a seemingly perfect network for the subject matter and tone of the series, acquired the rights to the pilot written by Ben Younger and Jay Longino, two who will also be joining Diesel in the executive producers' chairs. Younger also scripted the Diesel starring Boiler Room, a very interesting look at the greed, deception and criminality that flourish on Wall Street in major brokerage firms.

Lastly, they've landed John Dahl to direct the pilot episode, which is another perfect fit since his Rounders remains one of the finest cinematic showcases of the underground gambling world. Of course, Dahl had the talents of Matt Damon and Ed Norton to help bring that world to life and there's no word yet on casting prospects for Raising Blind. Diesel will not star in the project since he'll be busy acting in (and producing) the upcoming Fast and Furious sequels as well as the next in the Riddick series. However, I could definitely see him showing up for a cameo or two down the line.